The Most Famous People to Pass Through Ellis Island
Across 60 years, more than 12 million emigrants entered the U.S. through Ellis Island. Some of them went on to become extremely famous.
TV & Film
How ‘The Simpsons’ Got Started
Before it became the longest-running show of all time, launched with a Christmas special, here’s how The Simpsons took shape.
Tune In and Tune Out: It’s the Summer TV Doldrums
What’s on TV over the summer? Usually, nothing great, as it’s when the networks historically air their weirdest and worst offerings.
Late Night Talk Shows That Got Cancelled
A brief history of late night talk shows — and the ones that famously got cancelled.
Fly High, Peter Pan
Some facts about the history and impact of “Peter Pan,” in honor of creator J.M. Barrie’s birthday.
An Uncle John’s “Charlie Brown Christmas” Christmas
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ tells a great story — and the tale of how it got made is just as good. Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, from Uncle John!
Early Days of a Late Night Hit: Inside the First Years of ‘SNL’
As ‘Saturday Night Live’ begins its monumental 50th year on late-night TV, let’s head back to the 1970s for a look at the early, uncertain days of the show.
Some Tokens About Tolkien
A few fascinating facts about J.R.R. Tolkien, who gave the world The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and the inspiration for The Rings of Power.
Far Too Quiet on the Set: Deaths During Movie Production
By Brian Boone In the midst of the bright and happy summer blockbuster movie season, let’s take a look into a darker corner of the history of flickering light — these are the sad stories of people who died as the result of accidents and disasters while trying to make a movie. TYRONE POWER Matinee […]
Before You Go Back to School, Get Schooled on ‘Back to School’
By Brian Boone Here’s a respect-filled look behind the scenes and the making of one of the best school movies of all time, Back to School, starring the legendary Rodney Dangerfield. Last-Minute Rewrite In the original script, approved and used as the film went into production, centered on a character who was a working-class guy who decided […]
The Birth of “Seinfeld” (Before It Was Seinfeld)
Learn about the origins of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David’s classic sitcom, from its 1989 NBC special to its notorious finale.
A Very Animated History of Disney
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company with a review of its storied history, from Oswald to Mickey Mouse and beyond.
More Than Four Fab Facts About the Fab Four
It’s Beatlemania all over again around here, both in this article filled with little-known facts about the Beatles, and in our publishing sibling Thunder Bay Press’s new book, The Beatles: Illustrated Lyrics,So get back, come together, drag a comb across your head, and get ready to love eight days worth of facts. The Beatles’ “White […]
Imagine Ghosts Are Real
John Lennon was tragically assassinated in 1980. But according to some people, the Beatle never completely left the earthly realm. And your bird can sing In 1995, the three surviving Beatles at the time — George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr — reunited for the first Beatles recording in decades. They added their vocals […]
Did You Wish Upon a Star for Some Walt Disney Facts?
The name (and work of) Walt Disney looms large over American pop culture. Dozens of movies, lots of TV shows, characters, and even amusement parks bearing the Disney name promise wholesome, satisfying entertainment. The life of Walt Disney is an inspiring one of gumption, hard work, and luck — and we decided to write it […]
The Absolute Worst in Entertainment
Everybody wants to be the best, but you know what’s more interesting? The worst. Here are some of the most spectacular flops to ever come along and utterly fail in their attempts to entertain. Worst Movie of All Time? After seeing a double-feature of musical duds Can’t Stop the Music (starring the Village People) and […]
From TV Commercials to the Top of the Pops
Some of the most memorable songs ever written are commercial jingles — that catchy tune about Folgers being the “best part of waking up” certainly helped move product. Some ad songs were so well done that they became hit songs in their own right…and we all forgot that they were originally made to sell things. […]
Here’s Your Underwear, Mr. Cruise
As if getting paid millions to play make believe wasn’t enough, Hollywood stars can make big demands for certain concessions on movie sets. Tom Cruise Tom Cruise has been a movie star for more than 40 years, and he still insists on doing his own stunts in action-packed movies like The Mummy and those Mission […]
